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iPhone User Guide

Block calls and messages with Screen Time on iPhone

Allow or block calls and messages from specific contacts

You can either allow or block communication—including incoming and outgoing phone calls, FaceTime calls, and messages—from certain contacts in iCloud, either at all times or during certain periods.

If you haven’t already turned on Contacts in iCloud, go to Settings 👁 Image
 > [your name] > iCloud, tap See All next to Saved to iCloud, then turn on Contacts.

  1. Go to the Settings app 👁 Image
     on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Screen Time.

    If you want to turn this feature on for your child, tap your child's name.

  3. Tap Communication Limits, tap During Screen Time, then select one of the following for communication at all times (other than during downtime):

    • Contacts Only: To allow communication with only your contacts.

    • Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact: To only allow one-on-one conversations with people in your contacts and group conversations that include at least one person in your contacts.

    • Everyone: To allow conversations with anyone, including unknown numbers.

  4. Tap Back at the top left, then tap During Downtime.

    The option you selected in step 3 (for During Screen Time) is already set here. You can change this setting to Specific Contacts, then choose one of the following:

    • Choose From My Contacts: To allow communication with your existing contacts during downtime.

    • Add New Contact: To add a contact and allow communication with them during Downtime.

If someone who’s currently blocked by your Communication Limit settings tries to call you or send you a message, their communication won’t go through.

If you try to call or send a message to someone who’s currently blocked by your Communication Limit settings, their name or number appears in red in your list of recent calls or messages, and your communication won’t go through. You can communicate with them when the communication limit is changed. If the limit applies only to downtime, you receive a Time Limit message. You can resume communication with the contact when downtime is over.

To resume communication with contacts who are blocked by your Communication Limit settings, change the settings by following the steps above.

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